Customer Reviews:
 Lively, Robust History April 3, 2008
J. Aubrey (Seattle, WA)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I really enjoyed this spirited narrative of the Roman Empire during the last few decades of the republic (roughly, 100 BC to 30 BC). The familiar names are all here: Sulla, Crassus, Pompey, Cicero, Caesar, Spartacus, Cato, Cleopatra, Antony, Brutus, Octavian (Augustus). All of them caught up in a brutal, unpredictable world of war, slavery, disease, abject poverty, grand wealth, intrigue, double dealing, debauchery, you name it. Holland does an admirable job of organizing this complicated history and making it comprehensible to the layman. You also get excellent maps and interesting illustrations. br / br /My Roman history is weak and this provided a great introduction to the subject in 350 fast moving pages. Before the book, my understanding of this period was mostly from movies and TV, and I often came away scratching my head as to what motivated these people and how their political institutions functioned. Holland tries hard, and mostly succeeds, in answering those questions. br / br /Holland's syntax, however, can be quirky and a little hard to follow until you get used to it. There were also several times where I wanted less detail and others where I wanted more. But these nits shouldn't discourage anyone from diving in.
Review of Rubicon March 23, 2008
J. Huffman (Mesa, AZ USA)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
An excellent accounting of the lead up to the demise of the Roman Republic. Particular attention is paid to the Gracchi and Sulla, as well as the final throw down between the last two members of the first triumverate, Pompey Magnus and Gaius Julius Caesar. A very thorough and detailed telling of all the incidents and players involved in the mid-century crisis of the first century B.C., especially regarding Cicero and Cato. The only criticism I have, and it is a minor one, is the amount of focus given to some of the lesser figures of that time, which may be a bit too distracting from the main events. Overall, one of the best examinations of a formative, as well as a destructive time in our collective history.
 Entertaining March 21, 2008
T. Hooper (Osaka, Japan)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Tom Holland does an excellent job of weaving an engaging narrative in retelling the fall of the Roman republic. He fleshes out the historical personalities that appear in this period of history so that when things happen to them, you really care how it will turn out. To set the stage, he provides the back-story to the fall of the republic by showing us what the republic was in the first place--how it was created and what ideals drove it forward. Then Sulla, a man who isn't afraid to get his hands dirty, appears and takes hold of the republic to re-mold it into a stronger entity. Unfortunately, Sulla provided the perfect precedent for men of power to take control of the republic. It only goes downhill from there. br / br /Reading this book, you will get a feel that Holland is no fan of Caesar or Octavian. In fact, the only person that Holland paints as an upright figure is Cato. By honoring Cato and his view that the republic must be saved, the author paints the fall of the republic as a grand tragedy. In other words, there is no glory in empire. It is interesting to see the rise of the empire from a republican perspective. It has been Holland's talent to tell history from unexpected perspectives, and he doesn't disappoint in this book. I recommend this for fans of Roman history.
 A Professionals Review November 13, 2007
Niccolo
12 out of 27 found this review helpful
I was in the bookstore and found this book on the bargain shelf. Originally I had thought that it was a good deal for the book, but after reading it I found out that it wasn't even worth half of what I paid for it. When I first started reading I became really excited because of how engaging the style of writing was, which continues all the way through the book. But no matter how well written the book was it doesn't make up for all of the other shortcomings. br / br /I won't go into any great detail, but there is one thing that Holland talks about that really upset me. He claims that Marius never would have suspected that the army under the control of Sulla would be loyal to Sulla, and would allow Sulla to march on Rome. He goes into a great deal of explanation about it which I won't go into, but it is so absurd that I literally tossed the book across the room when I read it. Marius was the major player when it came to reorganizing how the Roman army was run. It had been Marius who first made armies that would be loyal to the General, i.e. him. So it is totally absurd that he wouldn't have even thought about this possibility of the army being loyal to Sulla. This is only one example of many more absurd notions brought up by Holland. br / br /I'm a history major, and I know a fair share of Roman history having read a lot of the primary sources of the time, and several historians opinions. I even brought this up to a professor I know who received her PhD at Yale University in ancient history. All she could do was shake her head in disbelief. br / br /I love history, and I'm really happy when other people are interested in history, but it's important that what they read is accurate. Holland doesn't have the training or the experience to make many of the claims that he comes up with. People should be able to read a history book and be able to understand it. Believe me when I say that I have read my fair share of bland history books that are so dry that it becomes a struggle to make it past the cover let alone through the entire book. So when a book that everyone can get into comes along they jump on it, as in this example; I sure did. But please don't buy this book for any shred of historical or analytical fact. It's far closer to fantasy then it is to historical fiction. Read The Gallic Wars, Meditations, Livy, Tacitus, anybody but Holland. Please. br /
A history teacher's review October 22, 2007
DWD (Indianapolis, IN)
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
This is a well-written fact-filled narrative interpretation of the end of the Roman Republic. Interpretation? Of course - all history books are the author's interpretation. Holland has his biases, but it does not distract from the power of the book. With the exception of a slow bit in the middle, this is an entertaining read and worthy to sit on the shelf next to other histories of Rome. br / br /I wholeheartedly recommend this one for enthusiasts (his spin on things should pique your interest) and also for newcomers to Roman history. It is a fine springboard for further study. br / br /That being said, I do have a little bone to pick with the author, on a topic that has little bearing on the text as a whole. On p. 21 (paperback) Holland claims that the Circus Maximus, the chariot racetrack, was the largest sports arena in the world (200,000 spectators) and it still holds that title today. That is an oft-repeated by British authors and documentaries. As an Indianaplis resident I must correct this - the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has permanent seats for more more than 250,000 and more than 400,000 have been known to cram in to the track in May to watch the Indy 500. Around 300,000 come to the Brickyard 400 as well.
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